The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1887-04-14
OUR RURAL TOPICS,
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers
PLANTING CORN.

farmers to remember the old formula for the
prevention of smut in the crop, viz, to dissolve
four ounces of sulphate of copper in gallon of
water, and to thoroughly mOsten five bushels
of the seed of small grain in it; for corn half
this quantity would be sufficient This pre-
caution has been found perfectly effective, and
has been in use, we think, about so years; at
least, for nearly that time the writer has known
of it, and has used it for more than 30 years. 1t
will be very satisfactory for farmers to know
that notwithstanding tho antiquity of this pro-
sentative against smut in grain the New York
State experiment station has been trying it,
and having found it as effective now as it has
been heretofore, recommend its use. Caustic
potash, sold in the stores as concentrated I've, is
also recommended; but we must object to the
statement that caustic lye can be made by
leeching wood ashes, for the Iye thus made is
not caustic, but is simple carbonate Of potash,
unless quicklime is used in the leeching to take
up this acid for which il has the stronger Atm
ity, and so leave the potash in free and caustic
state. We have found this same application to
seed " potatoes a safeguard against the potato
rot, also parasitic fungus upon this crop, as
smut is upon oats, wheat and corn. Many
farmers can procure bones at a very moderate
make perfect and complete fertilizer il treated
in this way. If unleeched wood ashes can be
procured, quantity of these are placed in pit
in the ground two or three feet deep in alter
nate layers with the bones, so placed that the
bones are exposed thoroughly to the action of
the ashes. Among the ashes is mixed evenly
an equal quantity of quicklme. This is i'm
portant for the action Of the lime is to take
the carbonic acid from the ashes and leave the
potash in them in n caustic condition. In this
state the potash quickly reduces the bones to
soft and friable condition, so that in two
months the whole mass may be crumbled to a
fine powder The resulting mass contains all
the phosphate of! lime of the bones in useful
condition, retains the nitrogen Of the gelatine
of the bones and of the meat upon them, and
has the potash and lime and phosphoric acid of
the ashes and the lime besides, thus furnishing
every useful element of plant food in a very
convenient form. If no wood ashes can be
procured the common carbonate Of potash the
potashes Of commerce can be procured, or the
chlorate ofpotash and the German potash salts
may be used if the lime is added as above men,
toned.
ECONOMIC WAY OF RAISING POTATOES.
A most successful way of raising potatoes in
the South is by planting them in what is called
a lazy bed" which is done by applying ma
nure very heavily in the rows and then covering
or any coarse litter. BY this plan, no working
or wedding is required aud the growth is not
stopped by the first hot, dry weather, as the
ground is kept cool and moist, which greatly
increases the yield of the potatoes and makes
them of much better quality. good plan by
which several objects are combined, is to select
a field which is to be sown to wheat next Fall,
and fence in as much as will make good-sized
feeding lot for cows and sheep. In this en-
clo aaH oil nft ho 4oIk Tolt
ing Spring take the adjoining land for potatoes !;
pillow well; then lay off three or four rows at a
time on the side farthest from tho cow pen.
Make the burrows deep; drop the potatoes at
good distances apart and ill the furrow entirely
up with coarse manure, keeping on in this way
until all are planted. The object in planting
only few rows at a time is to avoid running
the manure wagon over the burrows. as this
would destroy them. After the field is all
planted, rake with hay or stalk-rake the
stalks from the cow-pen on the potato plot, so
that the covering will be foot thick after SCI
Ting. This is all that is needed until harvest
when the stalks are raked from the potatoes and
thinly spread over the wheatfield. TO be plowed
under. The potatoes can be gathered without
digging. as they will either be on the top of the
ground or in the loose manure. In the South,
potatoes raised in this way may be left in the
ground all Winter and gathered in perfect con-
dition in the Spring. The conditions of success
with this method are to use plenty of manure
and to have the mulch at least foot thick.
Nothing is so good for a mulch as corn-stalks,
and in raising potatoes in a garden, the stalks
may be piled on the edge of the patch in
gathering, and may DO used for several years.
EARLY VEGETABLES.
If one has any means for forwarding his
vegetable plants, he can do much to hasten his
crops. Not many farm gardeners make use OF
hot beds or cold frames, yet these, by starting
their plants in window boxes, can gain some
weeks in earliness over those who sow their
seeds in the open air. Vegetable seeds are
hardy and tender. Those of the hardy class
may be sown this month, while the tender kinds
| cannot be safely sOwn until the time to plant
Indian corn. The vegetables belonging to the
hardy class, usually cultivated in family gar
dens, are beet carrot, cabbage lettuce, onions
parsuip, parsley, peas, radish turnip and
spinach. The seeds Of any of these may be
sown in the open garden as soon rs the soil is
dry enough to be worked. OF course some oil
these, especially cabbage and lettuce. are had
| much earlier by raising the plants under glass
and setting out the young plants at the time
| that seeds are sOwn in the open ground. BY
the use of window-bOxes, one can raise all the
plants usually needed in tho family garden
Such plants may be purchased, but raising them
is cheaper. One who takes pride in his garden
will avail himself of whatever means that will
allow him to be little ahead Of his neighbors
NOTES.
Don't compel your horses to eat musty hay
1t will produce fatal lung trouble, and, in any
| event, heaves.
"A good sled should be on every farm. Fol
hauling fodder or manure, there is nothing
more convenient 1t should be made reason,
ably stout but not too heavy.
| -Carriages and farm wagons might be made
to last twice as long If only few moment:
| tightening up the bolts that hold the wagon
together.
in thinning out the canes of berry bushe:
remember that three good, strong canes are bet
ter than half dozen weak ones. Call to mind
the oyer-prOduction Of last season and avoid
The seyerer the pruning, as a rule, the larger
the fruit. 'E
If you have any cabbage stumps you car
have some early greens. Set them out in tn,
| garden as soon as the frost leaves the ground
Green and tenderl leaves will appear very early
The blossom shoots will appear later, but dom
| permit them TO grow seed; il will be worthless
"A writer In Western paper says that hay
| ing heard that an infusion of tomato leave:
sprinkled over young rose bushes and Other
plants would efectually protect them from the
| attacks of insects, he determined to try it on
his melon vines the following Spring. Accord
| ingly, he raised some tomato plants in the house
expressly Tor this purpose, SO as to obtain the
leaves in time TO try the experiment on hi.
melon vines. He did SO, and was agreeably
surprised TO find that the infusion was com
pletely successful in keeping of the attacks OF
the little yellow-striped bug. He therefore
deems 1t duty to the public to make known